Awning type window



March 17, 1964 A. J. oLsEN ETAL 3,125,333

AWNING TYPE WINDOW INVENTORS. new J. ase-N BY RAYMWVQ BA1/(12 `@mwaT'ORNEf March 17, 1964 A, J. oLsEN ETAL 3,125,333

AWNING TYPE WINDOW Filed Dec. 2, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. dus#u. az se# wwwa/vo @4x64 BY 115' 2 0 m 4 'frode/ffy March 17, 1964 A J,QLSEN ETAL 3,125,333

AWNING TYPE WINDOW Filed Dec. 2, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS LLE/V d0455A/ RAyMo/vo @HKM ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,125,333 AWNINGTYPE WINDOW Allen J. Olsen, Detroit, and Raymond Baker, Livonia,

Mich., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Security Aluminum Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 2, 1960, Ser. No.73,368 9 Claims. (Cl. 268-109) This invention relates to awning windows,and more particularly to the hinge mountings for the window ventstherein.

Heretofore, in awning windows of this type, there has been employed ahollow frame of conventional character and positioned therein one ormore substantially upright pivotal window vents or frames with means forpivotally mounting the said vents at their opposite ends upon the frametogether with means for actuating the said vents for rotating the samefor opening and closing movements about a horizontal axis.

One of the ditiiculties heretofore experienced in windows of this typewas that when the actuator or control mechanism was in what was believedto be the fully closed position the window vent was not fully or sealedclosed at its lower edge with the window frame or the adjacent window.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of the present invention toincorporate within the awning window assembly herein a novel form ofhinge plate assembly whereby the angular relationship between the hingeplate and the window frame may be adjusted to assure that the windowwill fully close and seal. This is particularly true where there areemployed a plurality of window frames all under the control of a singlemanual actuator bar and where, for example, one set of windows fullyclose, but the others do not. Thus the present hinge plate construction,in accordance with the primary object of the present invention providesan adjustability factor between the frame yof the window vent and thehinge plate which will thus assure that on proper adjustment all Windowvent frames will effectively close tight.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel form oftorque tube connection between the actuator bar under manual control fortransmitting rotative forces to the hinge plate at the opposite end ofat least one of the set of tiltable vents.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedawning window assembly.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of the present awning window, asviewed from the interior of a building or vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan section of the awning window shown in FIG.1, on line 3-3 thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partially sectioned elevational view of aportion of the torque tube assembly and its connection with the venthinge plate.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the lower ventassembly with associated sill of the frame and the hinge plate therefor.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on an enlarged scaleillustrating the seal construction of the top vent shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a similar view with the top vent partly open.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely apreferred embodiment of the invention, and

3,125,333 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 ICC that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present awning window, which is adaptedfor any type of structure, such as a building 4or a trailer forillustration, includes the hollow metallic frame, preferably of extrudedaluminum or the like, generally indicated at 16 which is normally nestedand positioned within a rectangular aperture 15, FIG. 2 formed in thewall of a building or vehicle or other construction, as designated at12.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated thatthe present awning window be applied to and within the body of a vehicletrailer. Accordingly, the wall or body 12 of the building has upon itsexterior surface a metallic skin 13 of aluminum or stainless steel, forillustration, and upon its interior a plywood layer, as indicated at 14,thus deiiningywithin the said wall the aperture, or opening 15 withinwhich the awning window assembly is positioned and secured ashereinafter described.

The said frame 16 includes the opposed parallel spaced side rails orjambs 17, FIGS. 1 and 3, which are generally positioned within theaperture 15, which include the integral upright plates 18 which overlapadjacent edge portions of the body structure 12 and are secured theretoin i a conventional manner by a series of longitudinal spaced fasteners19, such as screws which project through frame apertures 19 and into thesaid body 12, as best illustrated in FIG. 3.

The plates 13 forming an integral part of the side rails also include asan integral part thereof the elongated upright side support flanges 20,which as shown in FIG. 3, are arranged adjacent opposite sides of theopening within the frame and provide the means by which the vents arepivotally mounted as hereinafter described.

As particularly shown in FIG. 3, the side rail elements 17 haveapertured ribs as at 21 which extend throughout their length and providea means by which the top frame element 23 may span and be secured at itsends to the corresponding upper ends of the said side rails employingthe fasteners 22. Said fasteners thread down into the longtiudinalapertures of ribs 21.

As shown in FIG. 2, the top frame element 23 includes the uprightcontinuous web 24 which overlies a portion of the building unit 12 andis xedly secured thereto by a series of longitudinally spaced fasteners19 in a conventional manner. The top frame element 23 also includes thefront overhanging or depending continuous plate 25 which serves as aprotective cover and enclosure means for the mechanism at the upper endof the window frame as best shown in FIG. 2.

There is also provided at the lower end of the frame 16 a sill definingelement 26, preferably of extruded aluminum which at its opposite endsis secured to the lower end portions of the upright rails 17 byadditional fasteners 22 which project securely into the longitudinalgrooves of apertured ribs 21 in the said side rails 17.

The sill 26 has along its forward edge the vertically offset sillelement 27 adapted for cooperative registry with the lower longitudinaledge of the lower vent 48 when the said vent is closed, as shown. Thesill 26 also includes the integral depending continuous plate 28 whichoverlies a portion of the body 12 of the building or vehicle and isfixedly secured thereto by a series of additional longitudinally spacedfasteners 19.

As is conventional in awning windows of this type, there is provided asuitable manually operable control mechanism as at 29 in the nature of ahousing and which includes the manually rotatable handle 31, whichoperates a worm-type of rack gear in conjunction with the rack 32slidably positioned within the control mechanism 29 and projectingtherebelow as at 32, being pivotally connected as at to the link 33,which at its upper end is pivotally joined at 34 by a suitable fastenerto a lower end portion of the A-bar or the actuator bar 35. This part ofthe construction is conventional, but shows the manually operable meanshereinafter referred to also as manually operable vertically reciprocalactuator means for pivotally actuating the hinge plates of the pivotalwindow vents as hereinafter described.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, there is arranged acrossthe upper portion of the frame 16 upon the interior thereof, thehorizontally disposed torque tube 36 which at its outer ends have axialslots 37 defining spaced end members adapted for projection into opposedpairs of arcuate slots formed within the respective upper hinge plates38 to thus establish a xed driving connection between the said hingeplates and torque tube 36.

After the elongated hinge plates 38 are iixedly mounted over the slittedends of torque tube 36, the cup shaped buttons 39 with axial studs 40projecting therefrom are fixedly and frictionally mounted over therespective ends of the said torque tube in a manner shown in FIG. 4. Therespective studs 40 in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of thetube 36 are projected through corresponding apertures 41 formed throughupper portions of the upright side support flanges 20, which form a partof side rails 17, as illustrated in FIG. 3. A spring nut fastener 42,often referred to as a Tinnerman nut is pressed over the respectiveouter end portions of the studs 40 to further retain the torque tube 36in assembled position, FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIG. 5.

A portion of the respective hinge plates 38 extends upwardly of thepoint of securing the tube 36 to the said hinge plate in the mannershown in FIG. 2 and there is provided a pivotal connection as at 43 ofthe said hinge plate with the A-bar or actuator bar 35 at its upper end,there being a suitable locking clip 44 associated with the pivot pin 43for iixedly, yet pivotally securing the said actuator bar to the saidhinge plate 38 for pivotally operating the same in the mannerhereinafter described.

An elongated normally upright hollow vent frame 45 preferably ofextruded aluminum or the like is positioned within the main frame 16 andopposite end portions of the said vent frame are iixedly, yet adjustablysecured to the hinge plates 3-8. For this purpose, the said hinge plate38 includes an upper mounting finger 50 which projects laterally thereofas shown in FIG. 2, and which extends through a slot of the side iiange49 of the vent frame 4S and is secured thereto by the fastener 52.

The vent frame 45 includes at its upper longitudinal edge overhangingforwardly projecting flange 46 and along its lower edge the formed orextruded base flange 47 which in co-operation with the end members 49denes the said vent frame and is provided with continuous parallelflanges therearound for mounting and retaining the glass plate 48therein.

The hinge plate 38 also has formed therein spaced below the connectingtongue 50 a second connecting tongue 51 of greater height than thetongue 50 and having formed therethrough for illustration a iirstaperture 53. The tongue 51 projects laterally through a slot formed inthe end members 49 at opposite ends thereof and is xedly secured theretoby a fastener which extends through the aperture 53 and through acorresponding aperture in the said end frame 49.

As shown on an increased scale in FIG. 6, the tongue 51, beingsubstantially the same on the hinge plate 58, as the hinge plate 38includes additional spaced apertures 54 and 55 with the said apertures54 and 55 progressively displaced laterally with respect to the aperture53 and associated fastener. Formed through the corresponding support 49directly below the aperture therein which corresponds to aperture 53 arean additional pair of apertures in alignment with the first mentionedaperture.

For illustration the aperture 54 is offset with respect to the aperture53 a distance of approximately .020 of an inch. Furthermore, theaperture 55 is laterally odset with respect to the aperture 53, adistance of approximately .04() of an inch for illustration.

Accordingly, in setting up the vent or window frame, if the particularframe does not fully close and seal snugly within the frame, the upperscrew corresponding to the aperture 53 is removed and the screwintroduced for example into the aperture 54 with a slight angularreadjustment being made between the said hinge plate 38 and the windowframe element 49 so that the screw enters the second aperture 54 formedin the frame member 49. Thus there is provided a means whereby anangular adjustment may be initially achieved between the hinge plate 38and the corresponding frame element 49 which forms a part of the vent48.

If the adjustment is not sufficient, then the screw may be removed fromthe aperture 54 and a readjustment achieved so that the screw enters thelowermost aperture 55 for cooperative projection within the loweraperture 55 in the frame element to thus achieve a greater angularadjustment between the said frame and the hinge plate 38. Thus it isseen that in view of the center distances between the respective screwopenings 53, 54 and 55, with respect to the connection at 52, in view ofthe ratio of distances here and the distance between the axis of thetorque tube 36 and the bottom edge of the vent 48, that the smalladjustment at points 53, 54 and 55 will provide for increased adjustmentat the bottom edge of the vent.

For example, if the intermediate set of openings are employed, such asthe openings 54, 54', providing a lateral adjustment at the hinge plateof only .020 of an inch, assuming an 8 to 1 ratio, the adjustment at thebottom edge of the window will be .160 inch.

On the other hand, if the bottom screw openings, 55 and 55' are employedfor connecting the hinge plate 38 to the vent frame element 49, then inthat case with a lateral adjustment at that point .040 of an inch, theadjustment at the bottom edge of the vent will be .320 inch. This thusprovides a means whereby the angular relationship between the hingeplates 38 at opposite ends of the vent 49 may be adjusted so that inoperation as hereinafter described, all of the vents will closesimultaneously and fully seal within the frame.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it is seen that the upper marginal edge ofthe overhang 46 at the top of the vent frame extends upwardly and isarcuate as at 56 so as to cooperatively underlie the lower free edge ofthe overhang plate 25. In order to complete a water tight seal, anelongated strip of material 57 is interposed between the lower edge ofthe overhang 25 and the forward edge of the forwardly extending member46 of the vent frame. Strip 57 may be rubber or neoprene.

Thus regardless of the tilting movement of the upper vent 48, there willbe a seal between its upper longitudinal edge and the bottomlongitudinal edge of the overhang 25.

In the present window construction, normally there are provided two ormore additional vent frames arranged in vertical alignment normally withthe liirst vent frame 45-48 and with means for providing pivotalmounting of the same upon the hollow frame 16 for movement in unisonwith the iirst described vent frame.

For this purpose, a slightly different form of hinge plate 58 isemployed which is similar in some respects to the hinge plates 38, butdiffers in other respects. For example, the upper hinge plates 38 aremounted upon opposite ends of the torque tube 36 and the torque tubeitself is pivotally mounted upon the side support anges 20.

In the case of the hinge plates 58, no torque tube is available andaccordingly the pivot mounting 64 for the said hinge plates 58 form anintegral part of the said hinge plate as best shown in FIG. 6.

The second vent 48 includes the formed top frame element 59, which iscooperable with and is sealingly er1- gagedv in .a conventional mannerwith the longitudinal undersurface of the top vent 48. The second ventframe also includes a bottom frame element 60 with dependinglongitudinal flange adapted to cooperatively engage the forwardlongitudinal edge of the sill element 27 of the main frame and whichalso includes a conventional downwardly depending sealing means forcooperative engagement with a portion of the sill for sealing the ventframe when in closed position.

Though not described in detail, the same vent frames 49 and 61 also areprovided with cooperative sealing means at their respective oppositeupright edges for cooperative sealing engagement with portions of themain frame to thus completely seal the Vents when in closed position, asshown in FIG. 2.

Arranged upon the opposite upper edges of the side frame elements 61 ofthe lower vent are the pair of hinge plates 58, which said hinge platesinclude the upper projection 62, fixedly secured to the outer surfacesof the frame element 61 as by the fasteners 52. The said hinge plates 58also include spaced below the projections 62 a second projection 51 ofthe same construction as projection 51 of the hinge plate 38. This alsohas a series of apertures 53, 54, and 55 formed therethrough, which saidapertures, namely the second and third being apertures 54 and 55, offsetlaterally with respect to the uppermost aperture 53. By thisarrangement, the fastener employed may be projected selectively througheither of the three apertures 53, 54, and 55 to adjustably, yet lixedlysecure the hinge plate 58 to the respective opposite ends of the ventframe 61. Thus a means is provided by which the angular relationshipbetween the hinge plates 58 and the vent frame ends 61 may be regulatedto thus predetermine that the said pivotal vents will be closed intofull sealing position peripherally, as shown in FIG. 2.

For example, upon an initial assembly, if it appears that after theupper vent 48-49 has been fully sealed, that the lower vent has notcompletely closed, all that is necessary is to remove the screw from theapertures 53 and the hinge plates 58 and selectively change the same toone of the laterally displaced apertures 54 or 55.

The projections 62 of the hinge plates 58 diifer from the tongues 50 ofhinge plates 38 in the sense that the said projections include at theirupper ends the outwardly extended integral portions 63 which at theirfree upper ends have upright members which terminate in the outwardlyextending pivot pin 64. These pivot pins, shown in FIG. 2, projectthrough corresponding apertures formed in the side support iianges ofthe rails 17 forming a part of the main frame to thus provide a pivotalmounting for the lower vent 48-61 and its corresponding hinge plate 58.

It is contemplated that there may be a plurality of vents in addition tothe lower vent shown in FIG. 2, whose arrangement and construction andpivotal mounting is the same as above described with respect to thelower vent 48-61.

As above described and as particularly shown in FIGS. l and 2, theadjustable portion 32 of the manual control mechanism is connectedthereto as at point 30. The link 33 whose upper end is pivotallyconnected as at 34 not only to the free end portion of hinge plate 58,but also to the lower end portion of the actuator bar 35. Accordinglyupon rotation in one direction of the manually operable verticallyreciprocal actuator means 31, the link 33 causes a downward movement ofthe actuator bar 35 with a corresponding outward opening movement of theupper vent 49-50 with the said hinge plates 38 rotating in a clockwisedirection about the axis of the torque tube 36.

This same downward movement of link 33 causes a similar pivotal movementof the hinge plates 58 at their t 6 respective one ends of theadditional vents 48-61. In order that there be no bending action, thethrust applied through the actuator bar 35 to the end of the upper vent48 is transmitted to the hinge plate 38 at the opposite end thereof bythe torque tube 36; thus a uniform thrust is applied to the oppositeends of the upper vent.

By the same token, and yas best shown in FIG. l, there is provided asecond actuator bar 35', shown on the left side of FIG. l; this actuatorbar at its upper end is pivotally connected as at 43-44 to the outerportion of the second hinge plate 38 corresponding to the hinge plate 38shown in FIG. 2.

The lower end portion of the actuator bar 35 is pivotally connected byadditional pivot assembly 34 to the outer portion of the lower hingeplate 58 at the opposite end of the lower vent corresponding to thehinge plate 5S shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, and by this construction,the pulling forces of the actuator bar 35 of FIG. 2 are applieduniformly to opposite ends of both of the vents 48-49 and IS- 61, abovedescribed.

In the event that there are more than two vents employed, in that case,the secondary actuator bar 35 would be additionally connected pivotallyto the free end portion of any additional hinge plates 58 correspondingto the hinge plate 58 of FIG. 2. The same thing would be true upon theopposite side of the frame, namely the fact that if there were at leastthree vents, then the actuator bar 35 would also be pivotally connectedto the corresponding free end portion of the corresponding hinge plate53 so that there would be a movement in unison of the respective vents.

Having described our invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims.

We claim:

l. In an awning window, a hollow frame, including spaced side rails withupright side support flanges, a top rail Vand a sill, a horizontaltorque bar within said frame at its upper end spaced below said top railand at its ends journaled upon said side flanges, upright tiltable hingeplates secured upon the outer ends of said torque bar, a normallyupright framed window vent extending between said side support flanges,said hinge plates below said torque bar adjustably secured angularlywith respect to opposite ends of said window vent, and manually operablevertically reciprocal actuator means joined to one hinge plate foreifecting alternate tilting opening and closing movements of said windowvent relative to said hollow frame.

2. In the awning window of claim l, the securing of said hinge plates toSaid window vent, including a rst securing connection and an angularlyadjustable securing connection spaced therefrom providing relativeangular adjustment of said hinge plates with respect to the window vent.

3. In the awning window of claim l, the securing of said hinge plates tosaid window vent, including a iirst securing connection and an angularlyadjustable securing connection spaced therefrom providing relativeangular adjustment of said hinge plates with respect to the window vent,said adjustable securing connection, including a first aperture withconnecting means in alignment with said first securing connection, andan additional aperture with connecting means in said hinge plate andspaced from said rst aperture and laterally oliset therefrom.

4. In the awning window of claim 1, the securing of said hinge plates tosaid window vent, including a iirst securing connection and an angularlyadjustable securing connection spaced therefrom providing relativeangular adjustment of said hinge plates and Window vent, said adjustableconnection including a first aperture with connecting means in saidhinge plate in alignment with said iirst securing connection, andadditional longitudinally spaced apertures with associated connectingmeans in said hinge plate spaced progressively from said first apertureand laterally offset progressively therefrom.

5. In the awning window of claim 1, the securing of Isaid `hinge platesto said window vent, including a iirst securing connection and anangularly adjustable securing connection spaced therefrom providingrelative angular adjustment of said hinge plates and window vent, saidadjustable securing connection including in said vent frame a series oflongitudinally spaced aligned apertures, and in said hinge plate acorresponding series with securing apertures with the rst of saidsecuring apertures in said series in alignment with said first securingconnection and with the additional apertures in said hinge platelaterally offset therefrom progressively whereby a fastener may beprojected selectively through any one of the plurality of longitudinallyspaced series of apertures.

6. In the awning window of claim l, each hinge plate being in the formof a cantilever xedly connected intermediate its ends to said torquebar, on one end connected with said actuator bar, and adjacent its otherend having a pair of spaced securing tabs, one securing tab having afixed connection with said window vent and the other having a series oflongitudinally spaced fastening apertures laterally spaced from eachother for relative angular adjustment of said hinge plate and windowvent.

7. In the awning window of claim l, a second normally upright framedwindow vent below said rst vent, said second vent extending between saidside support anges, upright hinge plates adjustably secured to oppositeends of said second vent for relative angular adjustment with respect tosaid second vent, each of said latter hinge plates having an outturnedmounting pin pivotally mounted and journaled upon said frame supportflanges, said latter hinge plates including arms extending rearwardly,the arm of one said latter hinge plates being pivotally connected tosaid actuator means, and a link pivotally connecting the arm of theother latter hinge plate to said actuator means and thus joined to thecorresponding hinge plate of the rst Vent for movement in unison.

8. In an awning window, a hollow frame, including spaced side rails withupright side support flanges, a top rail and a sill, a horizontal torquebar within said frame at its upper end spaced below said top rail and atits ends journaled upon said side flanges, upright tiltable hinge platessecured upon the outer ends of said torque bar, a normally uprightframed window vent extending between said side support flanges, saidhinge plates below said torque bar adjustably secured to opposite endsof said window vent, and manually operable vertically reciprocalactuator means joined to one hinge plate for effecting alternate tiltingopening and closing movements of said window vent relative to saidhollow frame, said torque bar being tubular with its ends split andslotted, each hinge plate having a pair of apertures to tightly fit overand xedly interconnect with said torque bar.

9. In an awning window, a hollow frame, including spaced side rails withupright side support flanges, a top rail and a sill, a horizontal torquebar within said frame at its upper end spaced below said top rail and atits ends journaled upon said side flanges, upright tiltable hinge platessecured upon the outer ends of said torque bar, a normally uprightframed window vent extending bctween said side support flanges, saidhinge plates below said torque bar adjustably secured to opposite endsof said window vent, and manually operable vertically reciprocalactuator means joined to one hinge plate for effecting alternate tiltingopening and closing movements of said window vent relative to saidhollow frame, said top rail including a depending horizontally disposedoverhang flange, the frame of said window vent including an opposedlongitudinally extending outwardly projecting flange, and an elongatedflexible sealing means at its respective opposite edges retained betweensaid overhang flange and `said window vent frame tiange for establishinga seal between said frame and said pivotal window vent throughout allopening pivotal movements thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,267,140 Schottenberg Dec. 23, 1941 2,444,311 Reynaud June 29, 19482,767,442 Blanchard Oct. 23, 1956 2,854,707 Hieatt Oct. 7, 1958

1. IN AN AWNING WINDOW, A HOLLOW FRAME, INCLUDING SPACED SIDE RAILS WITHUPRIGHT SIDE SUPPORT FLANGES, A TOP RAIL AND A SILL, A HORIZONTAL TORQUEBAR WITHIN SAID FRAME AT ITS UPPER END SPACED BELOW SAID TOP RAIL AND ATITS ENDS JOURNALED UPON SAID SIDE FLANGES, UPRIGHT TILABLE HINGE PLATESSECURED UPON THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID TORQUE BAR, A NORMALLY UPRIGHTFRAMED WINDOW VENT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE SUPPORT FLANGES, SAIDHINGE PLATES BELOW SAID TORQUE BAR ADJUSTABLY SECURED ANGULARLY WITHRESPECT TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID WINDOW VENT, AND MANUALLY OPERABLEVERTICALLY RECIPROCAL ACTUATOR MEANS JOINED TO ONE HINGE PLATE FOREFFECTING ALTERNATE TILTING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS OF SAID WINDOWVENT RELATIVE TO SAID HOLLOW FRAME.